VCSH ETF — Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF

Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH)

VCSH is a low-cost ETF that tracks the USD investment-grade short-term corporate bonds. As of August 20, 2026, its distribution rate is 4.56%, its trailing-12-month yield is 4.46%, its expense ratio is 0.03%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 97/100 (Safe). Fund total return is 60.9% over the past 16.7 years, 774.0 points behind SPY at 834.9%.

At the current 4.56% distribution rate, a $10,000 investment would generate approximately $456 per year, or $38.00 per month on an equivalent basis.

Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index, holding investment-grade corporate bonds with maturities between one and five years issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies. The fund offers a moderate current distribution rate with monthly distributions and carries a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. It appeals to income-focused investors seeking steady cash flow with reduced interest-rate risk relative to longer-duration bond funds.

VCSH performance versus SPY

Data as of August 20, 2026.

Fund total return is 60.9% over the past 16.7 years, 774.0 points behind SPY at 834.9%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 1.4%.

VCSH key facts

Data as of August 20, 2026.

Distribution Safety Score™

97 · Safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

4.42%

Issuer

Vanguard

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Fixed Income

Inception date

11/19/2009

Expense ratio

0.03%

Distribution rate

4.56%

Distribution frequency

Monthly

Trailing yield

4.46%

Last close

$78.61

AUM

$45,046,260,505

Average volume

2618903.0

Last dividend

$0.2990

Ex-dividend date

08/03/2026

Payment date

08/05/2026

Beta

0.41

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (4.56%) is the latest regular payout annualized by the fund's stated frequency, divided by the last close. Issuers often publish this as “Distribution Rate” on the fact sheet. Trailing-12-month yield (4.46%) is the sum of distributions paid in the last 12 months, split-adjusted, divided by the last close. It lags a recent raise or cut. We show a 30-day SEC yield when the fund publishes one. Schwab and other issuers may report a TTM distribution yield or SEC yield on a different date — all can be valid; they are not interchangeable. Fund total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is what the fund did, not your personal gain/loss. Figures below use Dividend Vision data as of August 20, 2026.

Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology · SEC yield

Sources and review

Data as of August 20, 2026.

Primary sources: Vanguard fund page; Index: USD investment-grade short-term corporate bonds; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

VCSH risks and drawbacks

Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 1.4%.

Who may consider VCSH — and who may not

VCSH may suit someone looking for low-cost broad dividend exposure, a high Distribution Safety Score, moderate current income with a quality tilt. It is a weaker fit for investors hunting double-digit covered-call yields; investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

Frequently asked questions

More funds from Vanguard.